Organizers of the inaugural Denver Comic Con had high hopes for this year's event, and the assembled nerds, geeks and comic book fans of the Mile High City didn't let them down.

The event, held over three days in mid-June, posted a total of 27,700 attendees — the second-biggest opening ever for a Comic Con, behind New York's 32,000. It's nearly twice the number organizers had hoped for leading up to the event.

"We had an incredible, unexpected, earth-shattering turnout," said co-director Charlie La Greca, who had set a goal of drawing 15,000 people.

Buzzing from this year's success, organizers have already announced dates for the 2013 installment — and a major guest who is arguably the elder statesman of modern comics.

The 2013 Denver Comic Con will feature Stan Lee, the legendary former head of Marvel Comics. Lee, 89, co-created many of the superhero genre's most recognizable (and bankable) characters, including Spider Man, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

"He's sort of helping us out and shoehorning us into his schedule," Denver Comic Con founder Frank Romero said Wednesday.

The event will return to the Colorado Convention Center May 31-June 2 with more comic book artists and writers, related exhibitors and the costume-clad fans usually associated with similar national events.

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Lee's involvement also helps the Denver Comic Con's nonprofit mission. The event will again benefit Comic Book Classroom, a free after-school program, founded by La Greca and Romero, for fifth- through eighth-grade students that teaches literacy and arts education through comic books.

By partnering with Lee's eponymous foundation, organizers are "aiming to reach students in communities around the country, with a focus on economically challenged neighborhoods," according to a news release.

"There would be no reason to do it without the charitable component," Romero told The Denver Post last month.